WO2017212172A1

WO2017212172A1 - Method for enhancing a communication signal and device

Info

Publication number: WO2017212172A1
Application number: PCT/FR2017/051434
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bertrand Bouvet; François Toutain
Original assignee: Orange
Priority date: 2016-06-08
Filing date: 2017-06-07
Publication date: 2017-12-14
Also published as: US20190199853A1; US10623558B2; EP3469785A1; FR3052618A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for enhancing, by a device (3) of a first telecommunications network (NW1), a communication signal transmitted by a first user of the first network (U1, CC-A) intended for a second user (U2) of a second network (NW2). The method comprises: — a verification step during which the device (3) of the first network verifies, using a certified identifier of the first user determined by the first network, whether the first user belongs to a predetermined category of users; — if the first user belongs to the predetermined category of users, a step of inserting, by the device of the first network, a piece of information, referred to as certification information, for the attention of the second user in a field of the communication signal controlled by the first network, this certification information indicating that the first user belongs to said predetermined category of users; and — a step of transferring the communication signal to the second network.

Description

Method of enriching a signaling of a communication and device

Background rinenvention

The invention relates to the general field of telecommunications.

It relates more particularly to a solution allowing a called user to easily filter communications intended for it, and in particular unwanted communications.

The present invention has a preferred but non-limiting application in the context of communications sent to users by call centers (eg after-sales service centers (SAV), call centers responsible for commercial campaigns with users, etc.).

Such call centers may be called by the users themselves, for example in the event of problems encountered on equipment or services to which subscribers have subscribed. A user can for example call a call center of a telecommunications operator to complain about a malfunction of his telephone system. If the problem is simple to solve, it can be set directly during this call; otherwise, the call center may need to call back the user within a day or a few days.

Call centers may also be required to contact users on their own initiative, for example to promote or sell new products or services, or to offer business appointments, etc. In the case of a "generic" call center calling on behalf of a third-party company (for example a bank), French regulations require that the number displayed on the terminal of the called user be a number to reach the third party company (in the example above, the bank) on behalf of which the call center calls the user.

In the two situations set out above, the called user has no assurance or means of "technical" verification to verify that the person who contacts him on behalf of the call center is a representative of that center. call.

Indeed, the number of the caller displayed on the terminal of the called user is a non-certified number, which can be easily usurped. Certified identifier means an identifier that a trusted entity (eg network operator or other trusted authority) establishes and guarantees. The caller's number is indeed inserted by the caller's terminal or more generally by telecommunication equipment (eg PBX or Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX)) on the calling side and transported in a signaling field. seamlessly from end to end by the network or networks traversed between the caller and the called party. For example, for networks implementing Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), this non-certified identifier is conveyed in the SIP FROM field of the SIP INVITE message. The call signaling vehicle indeed a certified identity added by the network of the caller (in the example of the SIP protocol, this certified identity is in the SIP P-Asserted-Id field of the INVITE message), but this certified identity is not displayed on the terminal of the called user. It is reserved for billing procedures, cases of legal interception, caller's masking of the caller's number, etc.

Due to the display of a non-certified identifier on the called user's terminal, some malicious callers do not hesitate to impersonate call centers, and pretend to be agents of these callers. call centers. A situation often encountered is the following: a "fake" agent calls a user by passing himself for example for an agent of his bank by valuing in the uncertified identity of the call signaling (eg in the field SIP FROM ) the number of this bank. The called customer sees the number of his bank displayed, is then put in trust, and can provide sensitive information to the wrong agent.

Similar situations may also affect customers of telecommunications operators who are being stolen from their accounts receivable.

Faced with the multitude of communication channels used today by call centers and their potential impeders (fixed telephony, mobile telephony, Short Message Service (SMS) short messages, instant messaging or electronic messaging, etc.), these situations are more and more frequent. There is a need for a reliable technical means, taking into account the regulations in force, and allowing the called users to make sure of the identity of their interlocutors when they receive calls of numbers associated with their call centers. to allow them to filter malicious calls.

Object and summary of the invention

The invention responds in particular to this need by proposing a solution of enriching the signaling of a communication between a calling user and a called user with new information inserted by the network of the calling user, unfalsifiable by a third party to the networks of the caller and the called party and conveyed transparently after insertion to the network of the called user, and intended to be presented to the called user on the equipment on which he receives the communication. This so-called certification information is advantageously inserted in the signaling of the communication only when the caller's network has determined, using a certified identifier of the first user, that the latter belongs to a predetermined category of users (for example: example, that it is indeed a call center).

The invention thus relies on two distinct and complementary mechanisms implemented by entities (devices) respectively belonging to the network of the calling user and the network of the called user, the network entity of the calling user. being configured to verify the identity of the calling user and insert the non-falsifiable certification information as appropriate in the call signaling, while the other entity is configured to value this certification information to the user called. More specifically, according to a first aspect relating to the mechanism implemented at the level of the network of the caller, the invention relates to a method of enrichment by a device of a first telecommunications network of a signaling of a communication issued by a first user of the first network and intended for a second user of a second network, this method comprising:

A verification step during which the device of the first network verifies, from a certified identifier of the first user determined by the first network, whether the first user belongs to a predetermined category of users;

- if the first user belongs to said predetermined category of users, a step of insertion by the device of the first network, a so-called certification information for the second user in a signaling field of the controlled communication by the first network, this certification information indicating the membership of the first user in said predetermined category of users; and

A step of transferring the signaling of the communication to the second network.

Correlatively, the invention also relates to a device of a first telecommunications network, capable of enriching a signaling of a communication transmitted by a first user of the first network and intended for a second user of a second network, said device enrichment comprising:

A verification module configured to check, from a certified identifier of the first user determined by the first network, whether the first user belongs to a predetermined category of users;

An insertion module activated if the first user belongs to said predetermined category of users, and configured to insert a so-called certification information item for the second user in a signaling field of the communication controlled by the first network; , this certification information indicating the membership of the first user in said predetermined category of users; and

A transfer module configured to transfer the signaling of the communication to the second network.

It should be noted that the first user (ie the calling user) and the second user (ie the called user) may belong to the same network, ie the first and the second network may be a single and same network or vice versa. to be separate networks, operated by the same operator or by different operators.

Furthermore, no limitation is attached to the nature of the communication between the first and the second user. This may be a Voice over IP (VoIP) type of telephone call or broadcast over a circuit-switched technology network, a message sent as part of an email message. instant messaging or e-mail, SMS, etc. The enrichment method (respectively the device) according to the invention can be easily configured by appropriately defining the category of users that it is desired to identify and signal to the called user. Thus, for example, if it is desired to identify calls from call centers, the verification step of the method according to the invention may consist of a verification that the calling user is indeed a call center. This verification can be easily implemented by the network of the calling user, who is able, from a certified identifier of the calling user, to determine if it belongs to a given user category . This information is indeed already available at the level of the network of the caller for the management of its subscribers, or be obtained easily.

For this purpose, the verification step may include the interrogation of a database with the certified identifier of the first user.

This database can be in particular a subscriber server of the first network such as a server HSS (Home Subscriber Server) in which are stored all the profiles of the subscribed users of the first network. The profiles stored in the HSS server may already include information enabling the first network to validate that the first user belongs to the category of users in question, or alternatively, it can be envisaged that when a new user is subscribed to the first user network, this information is entered in its profile if necessary.

It is noted that various interfaces are planned today to query the HSS server of a network (interfaces based on the Diameter protocol) so that the invention can be implemented simply by reusing one of the existing interfaces as a function of the device of the first network chosen to implement the invention. Thus, for example, in the case of a first network based on an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) architecture, the enrichment device according to the invention can be a Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) server using an interface Diameter Cx to query the HSS server, or a Telephony Application Server (or TAS for Telephony Application Server in English) using a Diameter Sh interface to interact with the HSS server.

As a variant, the database consulted by the device of the first network during the verification step may be a database dedicated to a particular category of users, such as in the example previously envisaged, a database listing all the call centers in combination with their credentials. In this variant, the interrogation of the database can be implemented for example via a SOAP / http interface, by providing the database with the certified identifier of the first user.

According to the invention, the certification information indicating that the first user belongs to a predetermined category of users is inserted by the first network into a field of the signaling of the communication (ie in a header of the message establishing the communication) controlled by the first network: this information is thus secured and tamper-proof by a third party to the first and second networks. Indeed, the qualification of the calling user as belonging to said predetermined category of users is verified by the first network, i.e. by the calling user's network which is considered as such as a trusted entity (unlike the calling user). In addition, the certification information is non-falsifiable because it is controlled by the first network, ie it is inserted by it into a particular field of the communication signaling that the first network controls, and can not be inserted into this field of signaling only by the first network calling side. It is not possible for a third party or calling user to insert this information into the call signaling or to modify it. It should also be noted that the signaling of a communication is transported transparently (ie without modification) between the first network and the second network; in particular, when transit networks are used between the first network and the second network, these transit networks carry the signaling of the communication from the first network to the second network without modifying it. The certification information therefore represents for the second user certified and guaranteed information. As mentioned above, the certification information is inserted into a field of the signaling of the communication and, in a preferred embodiment, in a header of the message establishing the communication. This message is for example in the case of the SIP protocol, the SIP INVITE message sent by the first user via his terminal to initiate (and establish) the communication with the second user. The certification information is included in the header of this SIP INVITE message.

In a particular embodiment, the signaling field in which the certification information is inserted by the device of the first network is associated with a parameter of the signaling controlled by the first network comprising the certified identifier of the first user.

In the case of the SIP protocol, such a parameter can be in particular the P-Asserted-ID parameter already used by the first network to insert a certified identifier of the first user.

The invention can thus be easily implemented by adding a simple field to this parameter or the use of an already existing field such as for example the DISPLAY field associated with the P-Asserted-Id parameter.

The certification information inserted, if necessary, by the enrichment device of the first network is therefore added to the information already present in the signaling of the communication, such as, for example, the certified identifier of the first user or his identifier. not certified. The invention therefore advantageously requires no modification of the fields present in the signaling (eg field containing the certified identifier of the first user and field containing its non-certified identifier). It does not therefore affect the customer experience of the second user, ie the called user: all the information usually valued by the second network of the called user is indeed always present in the call signaling and can to be used by it in accordance with existing procedures (eg displaying the non-certified identifier of the first user). The insertion of this certification information in the signaling of the communication ensures a rapid and simple operational deployment of the invention.

Furthermore, the certification information, when it is present in the signaling of a communication, advantageously allows the second user to have additional information on the origin of the communication, allowing him to differentiate more easily and to safe way a legitimate communication (coming for example from a call center) fraudulent communication. The second user is thus better informed about the identity of the first user calling him.

No limitation is attached to the form or value taken by the certification information added by the first network. It may be generic information, that is to say common to all users belonging to the category of users considered, and known to the first and second network. This generic information may take the form of a symbol, a specific character string representative of the category of users (eg "call center") or its certified character (eg "certified caller") etc. Such an alternative is particularly easy to implement and the certification information easily recognizable by the second network.

It is therefore noted that the certification information can indicate the membership of the first user to the category of users considered via several biases, that is to say by its value per se, but also by its presence in a field particular or specific (ie predetermined) signaling, especially when its value is less explicit, etc.

As a variant, the certification information inserted by the device of the first network may be specific to the first user. This certification information may include a name proposed by the first user and inserted by the latter or by an intermediate entity (eg PBX) upstream of the first network in the communication signaling (eg "SAV Company A") . This variant allows the first user to set the certification information that he wishes to be communicated to his correspondent.

As mentioned above, the invention relies on two complementary entities: on the one hand, on the device of the first network which enriches with the non-falsifiable certification information the communication signaling after verifying the identity of the first user and more precisely, its membership in a predetermined user category, and secondly on the device of the second network which is configured to process and evaluate this certification information with a second user's equipment when present in the second user's network. signaling.

Thus, according to a second aspect, the invention is directed to a method of processing a signaling of a communication sent by a first user of a first network to a second user of a second network, this method of processing being intended to be implemented by a device of the second network and comprising: A step of detecting, in a first field of the signaling of the communication controlled by the first network, a so-called certification information inserted by a device of the first network for the attention of the second user, this certification information indicating the belonging to the first user to a predetermined category of users; A step of insertion by the device of the second network of the certification information in a second field of the signaling of the communication intended to be presented to the second user;

A step of transferring the signaling of the communication to a device of the second user.

Correlatively, the invention also relates to a device for processing a signaling of a communication sent by a first user of a first network to a second user of a second network, the processing device belonging to the second network. and including:

A detection module configured to detect, in a first field of the signaling of the communication controlled by the first network, a so-called certification information inserted by a device of the first network for the second user, this certification information indicating the membership of the first user in a predetermined category of users;

An insertion module configured to insert the certification information into a second field of the signaling of the communication intended to be presented to the second user;

- A transfer module, configured to transfer the signaling of the communication to a second user equipment.

The method and the treatment device according to the invention have the same advantages as previously described, as the process and the enrichment device according to the invention.

In a particular embodiment, the second field is associated with a signaling parameter containing an identifier of the first user inserted by a device of the first user.

In other words, in this embodiment, the certification information is inserted by the processing device in a field of a signaling parameter already containing a non-certified identifier of the first user. In this way, it is ensured of the compatibility of the implementation of the invention with the equipment of existing users as well as with certain services offered by the telecommunications operators using the non-certified identifier of the first user contained in the signaling of the communication.

The second field is, for example, in the case of the SIP protocol, a field such as the field DISPLAY of the parameter FROM. This allows an easy implementation of the invention in the context of the SIP protocol since it relies on fields and parameters already defined in the SIP signaling. In addition, some of the services mentioned above exploit the identifier certified by the first user already rely on the contents of the DISPLAY field of the FROM parameter which makes it easy to use the invention in conjunction with these services.

Of course, another dedicated field of the FROM parameter can also be considered and introduced to insert the certification information.

Note further that this embodiment allows to group in the signaling all the information to be displayed on the equipment of the second user, namely the non-certified identifier of the first user and the certification information which facilitates the processing of this information by the equipment of the second user.

In a particular embodiment, the processing method further comprises a step of obtaining from a database of information concerning the first user and a step of inserting all or part of the information obtained in the second. signaling field with certification information.

This embodiment has a preferred application in the context of the service of presentation of the name of the calling user also known as the CNIP service (Calling Name Identification Presentation) and commonly proposed by the operators of the telecommunications networks to their customers. . The CNIP service provides not only the presentation of the number of the calling user to the called user (for example by displaying this number on a terminal of the called user), but also the presentation of additional information concerning the first user and in particular his name, address, etc., this additional information being obtained from a database previously entered. Such a database can be in particular a directory database queried by the second network before returning the signaling of the communication to the second user.

Thus, in this embodiment, the certification information "virtually" enriches the additional information contained in the CNIP database queried by the second network. The second user has multiple information on the first user to filter the communication knowingly. Of course, a hierarchy or truncation of the information obtained from the CNIP database can be implemented by the processing device in order to limit the relevant information reported to the second user. Note that the CNIP service, when implemented in conjunction with the SIP protocol, uses the DISPLAY field of the FROM parameter to convey the information to be displayed on the equipment of the called user.

In another embodiment, the method of processing further comprises a step of removing by the device of the second network of the certification information in the first field of the signaling of the communication.

This embodiment is in accordance with the current practice of networks that remove certified information from the signaling of communications before the transmission of this signaling to the recipient of the communication, the use of this certified information being generally reserved for networks (for example for invoicing, the implementation lawful intercepts, etc.), this information not being intended to be used in general directly by the equipment of the users receiving the communications.

In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the enrichment method and / or the processing method are determined by instructions of computer programs.

Consequently, the invention also relates to a computer program on an information carrier, this program being capable of being implemented in an enrichment device or more generally in a computer, this program comprising adapted instructions implementing the steps of an enrichment process as described above.

The invention also relates to a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in a processing device or more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation steps of a method of treatment as described above.

Each of the aforementioned programs can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any what other form is desirable.

The invention also relates to a computer readable information or recording medium, and comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above.

The information or recording medium may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disk or a disk. hard.

On the other hand, the information or recording medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet type network.

Alternatively, the information or recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

According to a third aspect, the invention also provides a communications system comprising:

A device for processing a signaling of a communication sent by a first user of a first network to a second user of a second network, this processing device belonging to the second network and being in conformity with the invention; and - An equipment of the second user to which the signaling of the communication is transferred by the processing device, said equipment being configured to provide the second user all or part of the certification information inserted in the signaling of the communication.

In a particular embodiment, the communications system further comprises an enrichment device according to the invention belonging to the first network and configured to insert in the communication signaling the certification information.

The communications system has the same advantages mentioned above as the enrichment device and the processing device according to the invention.

It may also be envisaged, in other embodiments, that the enrichment method, the enrichment device, the treatment method, the treatment device and the system according to the invention have in combination all or some of the characteristics above.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character. In the figures:

Figure 1 shows, schematically, a communications system according to the invention in a particular embodiment;

Figures 2 and 3 respectively show the hardware architecture of an enrichment device and a processing device according to the invention and belonging to the communications system of Figure 1, in a particular embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates the main steps of an enrichment method and a method of processing a communication signaling according to the invention in a particular embodiment in which they are implemented respectively by the device of FIG. enrichment and by the processing device of the communication system of Figure 1.

Detailed description of the invention

FIG. 1 represents, in its environment, a communications system 1 according to the invention, in a particular embodiment.

In the example envisaged in FIG. 1, the communications system 1 is configured to enrich the signaling of a communication sent by a user Ul said calling party (first user within the meaning of the invention), via a terminal T1, to a so-called called user U2 (second user within the meaning of the invention), having a terminal T2. The communication in question here is a voice communication (ie a call issued by the user Ul to the user U2), the terminals T1 and T2 are both Voice over IP (VoIP) phones. It is assumed here that the user U1 is an agent of a call center CC-A, calling the user U2 on behalf of a company A and more particularly its after-sales service (SAV). Of course this example is given for illustrative purposes only and the invention applies to other contexts.

The terminal Tl used for this purpose by the user U l is connected here to a private branch exchange 2 using the Internet protocol to manage telephone calls from the call center. Such a switch is also known as IPBX. The terminal T1 and the private branch exchange 2 is an equipment El within the meaning of the invention used by the user U l to establish a communication with the user U2 on its terminal T2. Similarly, the terminal T2 is an equipment in the sense of the invention used by the user U2 to receive the communication initiated by the user U l.

It should be noted that no limitation is attached to the nature of the equipment used respectively by the users U1 and U2 to establish and participate in the communication. This equipment may be terminals such as fixed or mobile phones, computers, digital tablets, connected objects, etc., or any other type of equipment such as a server for example. They can be used in combination with a PBX (PBX, IPBX, etc.) or directly. Furthermore, no limitation is attached to the nature of the communication between the user U l and the user U2: it may be a telephone call as a communication established as part of an e-mail instantaneous or electronic, or an SMS message sent by the user U l to the user U2, etc. Whatever the nature of the communication envisaged, the description refers to the user at the origin of this communication by "calling user" and the user to whom this communication is addressed by "called user".

In the particular embodiment considered here, the users U1 and U2 are managed (i.e. registered or subscribed) by different networks, designated respectively NW1 and NW2. The user U l acting here on behalf of the call center CC-A of the SAV of the company A, it is registered via this call center CC-A with the network NW1, in other words, it is is the CC-A call center itself which is registered with the NW1 network. The call center CC-A is therefore a user within the meaning of the invention.

The NW1 and NW2 networks are here networks of VoIP with an architecture

IMS and relying on the SIP session initiation protocol. In a manner known to those skilled in the art, a network implementing an IMS architecture comprises several functional entities, including:

A CSCF entity (Call Session Control Function), itself composed of several servers, including in particular a Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) server responsible for registering terminals on the network and a P-CSCF server; (Proxy Call Session Control Function), points of contact of the terminals with the network; - one or more Application Servers hosting and providing services; and

- a subscriber server or HSS server at which are grouped the profiles of users (including CC-A call center and user U2) registered with the network.

The NWl and NW2 networks can be managed by the same operator or by different operators. They may also communicate directly with each other or through transit networks. When transit networks are present between the networks NW1 and NW2, these transparently convey the SIP signaling of the communications between the two networks NW1 and NW2 in accordance with the service level agreements (SLAs) generally adopted.

Alternatively, the users CC-A (and through this, U1) and U2 can be registered and belong to the same network, i.e. NW1 = NW2.

Moreover, although the invention is described here in an end-to-end IP environment based on IMS network architectures and on the SIP signaling protocol, the invention applies in other contexts, including when circuit switching type technologies are implemented by the NW1 and NW2 networks, for example in association with the ISDN signaling (ISDN Signaling User Part) or BICC (Bearer Independent Call Control) protocol.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the communication system 1 comprises, besides the terminal T2 of the user U2:

A device 3, belonging to the network NW1, and capable of enriching the signaling of communications initiated by users of the network NW1 (for example by the call center CC-A via its agent Ul) destined for users of the NW2 network (eg U2) according to the invention (so-called enrichment device according to the invention). In the example envisaged in FIG. 1, the device 3 is an S-CSCF server of the network NW1. As a variant, it may be an application server of the network NW1 or else a server P-CSCF of the network NW1; and

A device 4 belonging to the network NW2 and able to process the signaling of communications initiated by users of the network NW1 (eg by the call center CC-A) intended for users of the network NW2, enriched in accordance with the invention (in particular by the device 3). The device 4 is a processing device according to the invention. In the example envisaged in FIG. 1, the device 4 is an S-CSCF server of the network NW2. Alternatively, it may be an application server NW2 network.

In the embodiment described here, the enrichment 3 and processing 4 devices of the communication system have the hardware architecture of a computer.

More specifically, with reference to FIG. 2, the enrichment device 3 or S-CSCF server 3 comprises a processor 5, a random access memory 6, a read-only memory 7, a non-volatile flash memory 8 as well as communication means 9. allowing him to communicate on the NW1 network and implementing the SIP protocol. The communication means 9 of the enrichment device also implement here the Diameter protocol enabling it to communicate via a Diameter Cx interface with a subscriber server (HSS) 10 of the NW1 network to access the profiles of the subscribers.

The subscriber server 10 comprises in particular an entry corresponding to the call center CC-A of the company A, in which are recorded one or more identities (or equivalent, identifiers) public (IMPU for IP Multimedia Public Identity) associated to this call center and more particularly to its IPBX switch 2. These identities may have a SIP URI or TEL URI format for example, and are provided at ΓΙΡΒΧ 2 in the P_Associated_URI field of a 200 OK REGISTER message by the NW1 network. when registering ΓΙΡΒΧ 2 with the NW1 network (registration made by sending a SIP REGISTER request by ΓΙΡΒΧ 2). They are under the control of the operator of the NW1 network and are therefore certified by him. It is assumed here that the entry associated with ΓΙΡΒΧ 2 further includes an indicator that it is a call center equipment. No limitation is attached to the shape of this indicator (symbol, string, etc.). This indication could be provided to the HSS server 10 for example when subscribing the company A to a subscription with the operator of the NW1 network for its CC-A call center.

The read-only memory 7 of the enrichment device 3 constitutes a recording medium in accordance with the invention, readable by the processor 5 and on which is recorded a computer program PROG1 according to the invention, comprising instructions for the performing the steps of a method of enriching a communication signaling according to the invention described later.

This computer program PROG1 defines functional and software modules, configured to implement the steps of the enrichment method according to the invention. These functional modules rely on or control the hardware elements 5-9 of the enrichment device 3 mentioned above. They include in particular here, as illustrated in FIG.

A verification module 3A, configured to check, following the reception of a communication initiated by a user of the network NW1 (calling user), if this user belongs to a predetermined category of users from a certified identifier of the user determined by the NW1 network. In the illustrative example contemplated here, the verification module 3A is configured to check whether the calling user is a call center. Of course, depending on the context of application of the invention, other categories of users can be envisaged;

An insertion module 3B activated if (and only if, here) the user belongs to said predetermined category of users, and configured to insert a so-called certification information item for the recipient user of the communication in a signaling field of the communication controlled by the network NW1; and A 3C transfer module configured to transfer the signaling of the communication to the NW2 network.

The functions of these different modules are described in more detail later. Similarly, with reference to FIG. 3, the processing device 4 (ie S-CSCF 4) comprises a processor 11, a random access memory 12, a read-only memory 13, a non-volatile flash memory 14 as well as communication means 15 allowing it to communicate on the NW2 network and implementing the SIP protocol. These communication means 15 further enable it to communicate with external databases, such as for example here a database 16 gathering various information concerning a plurality of users extracted from the universal directory.

The read-only memory 13 of the processing device 4 constitutes a recording medium in accordance with the invention, readable by the processor 11 and on which is recorded a computer program PROG2 according to the invention, comprising instructions for execution. steps of a method of processing a signaling of a communication according to the invention described later.

This computer program PROG2 defines functional and software modules, configured to implement the steps of the method of treatment according to the invention. These functional modules rely on or control the hardware elements 11-15 of the processing device 4 mentioned above. They include in particular, as illustrated in FIG. 1: a detection module 4A configured to detect, following the reception of a communication initiated by a user of the network NW1 and intended for a user of the network NW2, certification information inserted by network NW1 to the attention of the user receiving the call (called user) in a signaling field of the communication controlled by the network NW1;

An insertion module 4B configured to insert the certification information into another field of the signaling of the communication intended to be presented to the second user; and

A transfer module 4C, configured to transfer the signaling of the communication to a device of the user to whom the communication is addressed.

The functions of these different modules are described in more detail later.

We will now describe, with reference to FIG. 4, the main steps of a method of enriching a communication signaling as implemented by the enhancement device 3 (S-CSCF 3) of FIG. NW1 network, and the main steps of a method of processing this signaling as implemented by the processing device 4 (S-CSCF 4) NW2 network, in a particular embodiment.

To illustrate these steps, we consider here a communication (and more precisely here a telephone call) initiated via the equipment El (terminal Tl placed behind ΙΊΡΒΧ 2) by the user U l on behalf of the call center CC-A of company A to the user U2. As mentioned previously, when registering with the network NW1, ΓΙΡΒΧ 2 received the list of public identities that are registered for the call center CC-A of the company A at the HSS server 10.

More precisely, the terminal T1 of the user U1 sends a SIP message INVITE to an identifier of the user U2 (step E10). The SIP INVITE message sent by the terminal T1 to an identifier of the user U2 is, in a known manner, a message initiating a communication with the user U2. The identifier of the user U2 is here a public identity (IMPU) noted IMPU_B. It can be stored for example at ΙΊΡΒΧ 2, or a call center database. The identity IMPU_B is included in the call signaling (that is, in a header of the SIP INVITE message), in the Request URI and TO headers of the SIP INVITE message. Note that, in known manner, the various information placed in the headers of the SIP INVITE message belong to or still constitute the signaling of the call.

The SIP INVITE message passes through the IPBX 2 exchange. On receiving the SIP INVITE message, the IPBX 2 switch positions the calling public identity that it wishes to use for this call in the signaling of the message. It selects for this purpose one of the certified public identities that it received when registering with the NW1 network. We note here IMPU_A this identity. The IPBX 2 switch values the signaling of the SIP INVITE message, the parameter P_Preferred_Id to the value IMPU_A.

In addition, it indicates in the FROM parameter of the SIP INVITE message the number of the CC-A call center on which it can be reached by the user U2, in accordance with the legislation in force in France in particular. We note NoSAV this number. For example, NoSAV = 0800103900. This number is a non-certified identifier within the meaning of the invention of the call center CC-A, and correlatively of the user U1.

Then the SIP INVITE message and its associated signal including in particular parameters Request URI, TO, FROM, P_Preferred_ID and valued, are transferred to the network NW1 (E20).

The SIP INVITE message is received by the P-CSCF server of the NW1 network. Upon receipt of this message, the P-CSCF server analyzes the associated signaling (step E30).

More precisely, it checks if an identity is contained in the parameter

P_Preferred_ID.

If necessary (as in the example described here), it checks whether this identity (here IMPU-A) is one of the IMPU identities saved at the HSS server 10 for the CC-A call center and provided to the IPBX 2 switch when registered.

If this is the case, the P-CSCF server adds a P-Asserted-ID parameter in the header

(signaling) of the SIP INVITE message containing this identity. In other words, in the example envisaged, the P-CSCF server adds a valued P-Asserted-ID parameter with the CC-A call center identity IMPU-A. Note that the P-Asserted-ID parameter is under the control of the NW1 network (that is, it can not be modified by a third party to the NW1 network or the NW2 network) such as a user of the NW1 network, or by an intermediate network between the NW1 and NW2 networks via which it passes the SIP INVITE message) and contains an identity certified by the NW1 network. This parameter is known from the SIP protocol and described in particular in more detail in the document RFC 3325 published by the IETF.

If no P_Preferred_ID parameter is present in the signaling of the SIP INVITE message or if its content is not present in the list of identities associated with the call center and its IPBX 2 switch, the P-CSCF server adds even an IMPU public identity associated with the CC-A call center at the HSS server 10 in the P-Asserted-ID parameter. The added public identity IMPU is the default public identity of the CC-A Call Center, which is the first public identity in the P-Associated-URI parameter of the 200 OK REGISTER message that was previously forwarded to the IPBX 2 switch. .

The P-CSCF server also deletes the P-Preferred-ID parameter from the header of the SIP message (thus signaling) if it was present.

The SIP INVITE message is then transferred to the S-CSCF server of the NW1 network in charge of the CC-A call center (step E40). In the example described here, it is the S-CSCF 3 server according to the invention.

In addition to conventional processing performed by an S-CSCF server and not detailed here, the S-CSCF server 3 checks, according to the invention, through its verification module 3A, if the user originally communication belongs to a predetermined category of users. In the example envisaged here, the verification module 3A checks whether the user at the origin of the call is a call center (in other words, the predetermined category of users in question is here the category of call centers. call).

For this purpose, in the embodiment described here, the verification module 3A uses the certified identity IMPU_A of the call center present in the signaling of the INVITE message, in the P-Asserted-ID parameter. More precisely, it interrogates the HSS server 10 with this IMPU_A certified identity via the Diameter Cx interface implemented by the communications means 9 of the S-CSCF server 3 (step E50), to know if the user associated with this identity is a call center.

On receipt of the request from the S-CSCF server 3, the HSS server 10 consults the profile of the user associated with the certified identity IMPU_A, namely the call center CC-A, and detects in this profile an indicator attesting the CC-A user's membership in the call center category.

The server HSS 10 responds positively to the query of the server S-CSCF 3 by indicating that the user associated with the certified identity IMPU_A belongs to the category of call centers (step E60).

Alternatively, to check if the user associated with the identity IMPU_A is a call center, the verification module 3A can query a dedicated database listing the call centers in combination with their certified identities. In this variant, it can be envisaged that the communications means 9 of the S-CSCF server 3 implement, for example, the SOAP and http protocols to communicate with the database. The communication interface between the S-CSCF server 3 and the database can then consist in providing the S-CSCF server 3 with the certified identity IMPU_A at the input of the database, and receiving in response from the database data, the certified identity alone if it does not correspond to a call center, and the certified identity accompanied by a call center category indicator if the IMPU_A certified identity corresponds to a call center.

On receipt of the indication of the HSS 10 membership of the user CC-A to the category of call centers, the server S-CSCF 3, through its insertion module 3B, inserts a certification information referred to as "info" in the signaling of the SIP INVITE message, for the attention of the user U2 recipient of this message (step E70). This certification information "info" indicates the membership of the user calling the user U2 (that is, the CC-A call center through his agent Ul) to the category of call centers.

No limitation is attached to the form taken by the certification information

"Info".

Thus, for example, certification information "info" can be unique and generic for all call centers (it can be subject to standardization especially for this purpose). It can be a code or a symbol, or a predetermined string of characters (eg "call center", "certified", etc.).

Alternatively, the certification information "info" may be specific that is to say specific to each call center. It can especially take as value the name of the call center in question, that is to say CC-A in the example envisaged here, or the name of the company for which this call center operates. It can then be envisaged that the value of the certification information is provided dynamically by the call center, in the signaling of the SIP INVITE message, for example in a DISPLAY field of the parameter FROM. Such a field is already known per se for the parameter DE defined in the IETF RFC 3261 standard.

Alternatively, this value may be present in the profile of the user CC-A stored in the HSS server 10, and have been provisioned in this profile when subscribing the call center.

In the embodiment described here, the S-CSCF server 3 inserts the "info" certification information in a field of the parameter P-Asserted-ID, controlled by the network NW1, for example in a DISPLAY field of the parameter P- Asserted-ID. The P-Asserted-ID parameter therefore comprises, on the one hand, the certified identifier IMPU_A of the call center CC-A, and on the other hand the certification information "info" when CC-A meets the qualification of call center.

Note that in the embodiment described here, the "info" certification information is inserted into the signaling of the SIP INVITE message only when the S-CSCF server 3 has determined that the user associated with the certified identity IMPU_A is a call center. So, even if this certification information is for example the name "CC-A" of the call center, it is inserted in the field of the P-Asserted-ID parameter only when it has been verified by the server S- CSCF 3 that the user CC-A is a call center.

Thus, in the embodiment described here, the "info" certification information is inserted into a predetermined field (i.e. specific) of the signaling, namely in a field of the P-Asserted-ID parameter. Alternatively, the S-CSCF server 3 may insert the certification information "info" into another field of the signaling of the SIP INVITE message. For this purpose, it is possible to envisage the creation and the standardization of a new header controlled by the network NW1 with respect to already existing headers defined by the SIP protocol, such as for example a header "CALLE R- AUTH E NTICATIO N" which could take the value "TRUE" if the user is identified by the server S-CSCF 3 as a call center, and "FALSE" otherwise. This new header should be set to be controlled by the caller's network (i.e. NWl) as the P-Asserted-ID parameter to maintain the certified quality of the certification information. This could be a specific heading dedicated to the transport of the certification information where appropriate.

The S-CSCF server 3, via its transfer module 3C and its communication means 9, then transfers the SIP INVITE message whose signaling has been enriched with the certification information "info" to the NW2 network. to the user U2, in a manner known per se (step E80). When it is routed to the NW2 network, the signaling of the SIP INVITE message is transmitted in a transparent manner, ie the content of its headers and in particular the FROM and P-Asserted-ID headers is not modified during this routing up to to the NW2 network.

It should be noted that in the embodiment described here, the device causing the enrichment of the signaling of the SIP INVITE message with the certification information "info" is the S-CSCF server 3. As previously mentioned , in another embodiment, the enrichment of the signaling according to the invention can be achieved by another device NWl network capable of interrogating the HSS server 10 or a database dedicated to the call center. It may be in particular an application server (dedicated or not), triggered for this purpose by the S-CSCF server for example. The interrogation of the HSS server 10 by such an application server can be implemented via the Diameter protocol and in particular the Sh interface already known.

When the SIP INVITE message arrives in the network NW2, it is received by the I-CSCF server (Interrogating - Call State Control Function) of the network NW2 which transfers it to the server S-CSCF 4, in charge of the user U2 to which is intended for this message.

In the example envisaged here, it is assumed that the user U2 has subscribed to the operator of the NW2 network CNIP service. In a known manner, this service is available in France on fixed networks and in particular on voice over IP networks. This service works as follows: When the called user has subscribed to the CNIP service, each incoming call triggers a TAS phone application server. This sends a SOAP / http request for the user who has subscribed to the CNIP service to a CNIP database (database 16 in FIG. 1) containing information present in the universal directory. On the other hand, this CNIP database does not contain any information on red list clients, nor on companies, etc. It usually does not contain information about call centers. In accordance with the CNIP service, the information thus obtained is intended to be presented to the user U2 in association with the number of the user calling him.

It should be noted that the implementation of the CNIP service may require an explicit activation at the level of the telephone installation of the user U2, for example at the level of a home gateway of this installation if it has one or the terminal T2 himself. This activation is done in a manner known per se by activating an indicator provided for this purpose in the configuration file of the home gateway so as to indicate that it must exploit the content of certain fields of the signaling of completed with the information obtained from the CNIP database.

In the embodiment described here, following the receipt of the SIP INVITE message, the S-CSCF server 4 analyzes, via its detection module 4A, the signaling of the SIP INVITE message and extracted from the P-Asserted parameter. ID the certified identifier IMPU_A.

With this identifier, he determines whether the user U2 is subscribed to the CNIP service. If necessary (as is the case in the example here), the S-CSCF server 4 interrogates, through a telephone application server triggered for this purpose, the CNIP database 16 (step E90 ). This interrogation is done by sending to the CNIP database 16 of the certified identity IMPU_A extracted from the P-Asserted-ID parameter of the signaling of the SIP INVITE message.

The CNIP database 16 sends, in response to this interrogation, the information that it contains, if any, concerning the user associated with the certified identity IMPU-A (step E100). If the CNIP database 16 does not contain call center information, it returns an empty response to the S-CSCF server 4. It is assumed here that the CNIP database 16 contains information I (CC- A) on the CC-A call center associated with the identity IMPU_A and sends them in its response to the server S-CSCF 4. This information contains for example the name of the company A, the address of the SAV of the company A for which CC-A call center works, etc.

During its analysis of the signaling of the SIP INVITE message, the detection module

4A of the S-CSCF server 4 furthermore detects the presence of the "info" certification information inserted in the P-Asserted-ID field and indicating the membership of the user at the origin of the SIP INVITE message to the category call centers (step E110).

According to the invention, this certification information is intended to be presented to the user U2. For this purpose in the embodiment described here, the S-CSCF server 4, via its insertion module 4B, extracts the certification information "info" from the P-Asserted-ID parameter and inserts it in a field of the SIP INVITE message intended to be presented to the user U2. Such a field is for example the DISPLAY field of the FROM parameter of the SIP INVITE message. The advantage of using this already existing field of SIP signaling to transform the "info" certification information on the called user's side is that it is compatible with all called SIP terminals. In fact, the content of the DISPLAY field of the FROM parameter is already displayed on the terminal of the called user with the number of the calling user (contained in the FROM field) up to a maximum of 50 characters as part of the presentation service. the name of the caller also called CNIP (Calling Name Identification Presentation). This CNIP service is also available for both fixed and mobile circuit switched networks (2G / 3G) and for packet-switched networks, and in particular for fixed and mobile VoIP networks (4G / LTE, VoWiFi). .

It should be noted that the DISPLAY field of the FROM parameter does not contain a priori any information before the S-CSCF 4 server has inserted the certification information. Indeed, it is known that in accordance with the SIP protocol, when the SIP INVITE message arrives in the network NW2 the content of the DISPLAY field of the parameter FROM is systematically suppressed so as not to interfere with number presentation services, which rely on on the contents of the FROM parameter, and which could have subscribed the U2 user to the NW2 network.

The S-CSCF server 4 additionally inserts in the DISPLAY field, in addition to the certification information, all or part of the information I (CC-A) received from the CNIP database 15. Preferably, the concatenation of the certification information "info" and information I (CC-A) in the field DISPLAY of the parameter FROM is carried out so that the certification information is displayed first on the screen of the terminal T2 of the user U2 , this being important for the user U2 to filter his calls.

Furthermore, since the content size of the DISPLAY field is limited to 50 characters, a selection by the insertion module 4B of the information inserted in this field may be necessary. Thus, the insertion module 4B may decide to include only the certification information "info" in the DISPLAY field (without the information I (CC-A)).

Alternatively, it may decide to include only the information I (CC-A) received from the CNIP database 15.

In yet another variant, the insertion module 4B may decide to truncate the information I (CC-A) before concatenating it with the certification information "info" in the field

DISPLAY of the FROM parameter of the SIP INVITE message.

In another embodiment, the "info" certification information can be inserted by the insertion module 4B into another field of the signaling of the SIP message intended to be presented to the user U2 on his terminal T2.

Of course, if the CNIP database 15 does not contain or return any CC-A call center information or if the U2 user has not subscribed to the CNIP service, only the certification information is inserted by the S-CSCF server 4 in the DISPLAY field of the FROM parameter. In the embodiment described here, the S-CSCF server 4, after having evaluated the DISPLAY field of the parameter FROM with the certification information "info", removes from the signaling of the SIP INVITE message the parameter P-Asserted-ID containing the CC-A call center certified identifier and the "info" certification information inserted by the NW1 network. Note that this step is however optional, the S-CSCF server 4 can leave intact the P-Asserted-ID parameter in the signaling of the SIP INVITE message.

Then the S-CSCF server 4 transfers by means of its transfer module 4C and its communication means 15, the SIP INVITE message and the signaling associated with the terminal T2 of the user U2 (step E120).

On receipt of the SIP INVITE message, the content of the parameter FROM is displayed on the screen of the terminal T2 of the user U2 in accordance with the existing procedures of the prior art (E130). This content includes, on the one hand, the non-certified identifier NoSAV contained in the FROM parameter and placed in this field by the equipment El of the call center CC-A and on the other hand, the information contained in the DISPLAY field. of the FROM parameter, especially the "info" certification information. The user U2 of the terminal T2 is thus informed that the call received from the user Ul comes from a call center.

In the embodiment described here, the processing of the signaling of the SIP INVITE message consisting according to the invention in the exploitation of the certification information introduced in the signaling by the network NW1 and in its valuation to the user. U2 according to the invention are carried out by the S-CSCF server 4. However, this assumption is not limiting, and the processing method according to the invention can be implemented by another device of the NW2 network, for example by a NW2 network phone application server.

In the example envisaged here, the NW1 and NW2 networks are voice over IP networks, implementing the SIP protocol. However, as mentioned above, the invention applies in other contexts and in particular to other signaling protocols that the SIP protocol. The invention may particularly apply when a signaling conforming to the ISUP / BICC protocol is considered, the NDS (Additional Designation Number) or Generic Number and NDI (Installation Designation Number) or Calling Number fields may play a role. identical role to SIP fields FROM and P-Asserted-ID respectively.

Claims

1. Method for enriching by a device (3) of a first telecommunications network (NWl) a signaling of a communication transmitted by a first user of the first network (U1, CC-A) and intended for a second user (U2) of a second network (NW2), said method comprising:

— a verification step (E50) during which the device (3) of the first network checks, from a certified identifier (IMPU-A) of the first user determined by the first network, whether the first user belongs to a predetermined category of users;

— if the first user belongs to said predetermined category of users, a step of insertion (E70) by the device of the first network, of so-called certification information (info) for the attention of the second user in a field of signaling the communication controlled by the first network, this certification information indicating the membership of the first user to said predetermined category of users; And

— a step of transfer (E80) of the communication signaling to the second network.

2. Enrichment method according to claim 1 wherein the verification step comprises querying (E50) a database (10) with the certified identifier of the first user.

3. Enrichment method according to claim 2 in which the querying of the database is implemented via a SOAP/http interface.

4. Enrichment method according to claim 2 in which the database is a subscriber server (10) of the first network.

5. Enrichment method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which said signaling field is associated with a signaling parameter controlled by the first network comprising the certified identifier of the first user.

6. Enrichment method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the certification information inserted by the device of the first network is specific to the first user.

7. Method for processing signaling of a communication sent by a first user (U1, CC-A) of a first network (NWl) to a second user of a second network, said processing method being intended to be implemented by a device of the second network and comprising: — a detection step (E110), in a first field of communication signaling controlled by the first network, of so-called certification information (info) inserted by a device of the first network for the attention of the second user, this certification information indicating the membership of the first user to a predetermined category of users;

— a step of insertion (El 10) by the device of the second network of the certification information into a second field of the communication signaling intended to be presented to the second user; And

— a step of transferring (E120) the communication signaling to equipment of the second user.

8. Processing method according to claim 7 in which the second field is associated with a signaling parameter containing an identifier of the first user inserted by equipment of the first user.

9. Processing method according to claim 7 or 8 further comprising a step of obtaining information (I(CC-A)) concerning the first user from a database (16) and a step of insertion of all or part of the information obtained in the second signaling field with the certification information.

10. Processing method according to any one of claims 7 to 9 further comprising a step of deletion by the device of the second network of the certification information in the first field of the communication signaling.

11. Computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the enrichment method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 or of the processing method according to any one of claims 7 to 9 when said program is executed by a computer.

12. Computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program according to claim 11 is recorded.

13. Device (3) of a first telecommunications network, capable of enriching signaling of a communication transmitted by a first user of the first network and intended for a second user of a second network, said device comprising:

— a verification module (3A) configured to check, from a certified identifier of the first user determined by the first network, whether the first user belongs to a predetermined category of users; — an insertion module (3B) activated if the first user belongs to said predetermined category of users, and configured to insert so-called certification information for the attention of the second user in a field of the communication signaling controlled by the first network, this certification information indicating the membership of the first user to said predetermined category of users; And

— a transfer module (3C) configured to transfer the communication signaling to the second network.

14. Device for processing (4) a signaling of a communication sent by a first user of a first network to a second user of a second network, said processing device belonging to the second network and comprising:

— a detection module (4A) configured to detect, in a first field of the communication signaling controlled by the first network, so-called certification information inserted by a device of the first network for the attention of the second user, this information certification indicating the membership of the first user to a predetermined category of users;

— an insertion module (4B) configured to insert the certification information into a second field of the communication signaling intended to be presented to the second user;

— a transfer module (4C), configured to transfer the communication signaling to equipment of the second user.

15. Communications system (1) comprising:

— a device for processing (4) a signal of a communication sent by a first user of a first network to a second user of a second network, said processing device belonging to the second network and being compliant to the claim

14; And

— equipment (T2) of the second user to which the communication signaling is transferred by the processing device, said equipment being configured to provide the second user with all or part of the certification information inserted in the communication signaling.

16. Communications system (1) according to claim 15 further comprising a device (3) according to claim 13 belonging to the first network and configured to insert said certification information into the communication signaling.